While attending the local junior high school in Selkirk in 1971, Mark was convinced to join 6 Jim Whitecross Squadron. He received his Gliding Scholarship at Rivers Manitoba in 1974, and received his power pilot training through a high school aviation program at Winnipeg Flying Club in 1975. After graduating from high school, he worked at Cessna Aircraft Corporation, as the warranty and service representative for Canada. He continued in the cadet program as a CIC officer, both at 6 Squadron as Administration Officer, and the gliding program as an instructor and tow pilot. In 1981 he joined the Regional Cadet Office (Prairie) as the Provincial Gliding Operations Officer, a position he filled for four years, until taking on the position of SO Air Cadets for Prairie Region. Mark was also the Flight Safety Officer for gliding operations in the prairie region during that time.

Mark left the cadet program entirely in 1989, to pursue a career as a programmer analyst. He joined the game development staff at Western Canada Lottery, as a game programmer. In 1993, Mark joined the staff at Pollard Banknote Ltd. to form a new programming department focused on developing software to generate instant lottery games. After five years at Pollard, Mark set off again to work on his own with the Lapis Software Associates, focusing on internal control systems for on-line lotteries. In 2007, Mark rejoined the staff at Pollard Banknote as the Corporate Manager for Manufacturing Software and Engineering. He and his wife have four children.

It was at this time that Mark came back to the cadet program and joined the Provincial Committee board of directors in 2005. He has been an active member on the board, ever since, filling the role of Secretary, Vice Chair, and Volunteer Screening Chair becoming Chair in 2009. He was a National Director (2008 until 2012) and is presently serving as the Second Vice-Chair of the Manitoba Committee. Mark received the National League's Certificate of Honour in 2013 and the ACL (MB) Douglas Inglis Award for Distinguished Service in 2015. Mark was appointed to the National Board of Governors in 2020.